Record Description

The collection consists of images of county probate books. The record content and time period varies by county.

For a list of records by localities, document type and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Citation for This Collection

The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Record Content

Probate records include petitions, inventories, accounts, decrees and other court documents. They may include the following genealogical information:

Name of the testator or deceased

Date of death

Names of the heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, and friends

Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian

Names of witnesses

Dates the documents were written and recorded (may be used to approximate a death date since a will was usually written near the time of death).

How to Use the Record

To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:

The place of residence

The approximate death or probate date

The name of the deceased

Search the Collection

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the appropriate "County" Record Type⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Record Description" Record Type which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:

Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives.

Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date.

Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period.

Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records.

Use the occupations listed to find employment records or other types of records such as military records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

You may be able to use the probate record to learn about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents.

Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased, this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.

Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.

When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

You may be able to use the probate record to learn about land transactions.

The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the deceased or the testator.

Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.

There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

Check for variant spellings of the surnames.

Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.

Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites

Related Wiki Articles

Contributions to This Article

We welcome user additions to FamilySearch Historical Records wiki articles. We are looking for additional information that will help readers understand the topic and better use the available records. We also need translations for collection titles and images in articles about records written in languages other than English. For specific needs, please visit WikiProject FamilySearch Records.

Please follow these guidelines as you make changes. Thank you for any contributions you may provide.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.